Beer: Reviews & Ratings

I was the fortunate one - the one who, after racing to the back left corner at FOBAB 2014, got the fifth-to-last (or so) pour, and they were pouring liberally... to liberally, probably, but that means that I got 4-5 ounces of this amazing brew. I can barely remember it... except that it was awesome. (300 characters)

This beer was great but I have to admit, I was slightly let down. It's one of those insanely hyped beers and I suppose it can only let you down. That said, I adore regular Abraxas but the BA version sort of brings out the spice only for me. I wanted more of that beautiful chocolate that regular has. Needless to say it was delicious on draft but would much prefer to try a bottle...then again, swing by the FT:ISO thread and you will realize, so is everyone else in the world. (477 characters)

The flavor hits of that sweet milk chocolate, some brownie batter, vanilla, raisins, more dark fruit. Then onto a fruit pepper skin with a medium amount of heat. The finish is of cacao along with some bourbon and caramel sweetness.

The barrel character on this is phenomenal along with the already amazing base beer.

Smells like a tobacconist's shop. Cocoa is prominent along with chilies. Vanilla like alcohol pressence. Tases like the best bar of chocolate ever. Harmonious blend of the adjuncts with a thick graham cracker backbone. Pleasant spicy finish. (241 characters)

Finally hunted down this miniature whale of mine at a stout tap takeover at local place The Foundry. Titled "Big Ass Stout Day", this is one of the biggest. Six ounces poured into an 8 oz tasting glass.

Appearance (4.25) - Pours an inky brown that might as well be black, with zero light penetrating the event horizon of the beer. Surprisingly, unlike many barrel-aged beers, a reasonable finger of mocha tan head fights through and retains for a minute or so before slinking back to remain a thin ringlet of bubbles around the edge of the glass and a smattering of wispy film on the surface of the liquid. When I drink, a couple small dots of soapy foam cling to the side before sinking back down into the liquid, leaving no lacing to speak of.

Smell (4.5) - While it's missing the cinnamon punch that the non-barrel aged version has, the cinnamon is still there lurking in the background behind an up-front assault of caramel and vanilla, fudge and roasted malt. There is also a hint of whiskey, but the barrel-aging seems to come through more in those sweet notes of graham cracker and vanilla than it does as the more astringent whiskey notes. The score would be higher, but I was hoping against hope that the cinnamon would still be more assertive and blend better with the barrel. Still, it feels a bit like I'm nitpicking...

Taste (4.75) - Here, the fading of the cinnamon and presence of the barrel have reached a harmonious balance. The cinnamon and ancho chiles are subtly intertwined with big rich notes of whiskey barrel--vanilla, caramel, graham cracker--alongside a generous helping of bittersweet chocolate, fudge and roasted malt. If Abraxas were a chocolate-cinnamon cake, then Barrel-Aged is a chocolate-cinnamon cake with dulce de leche sauce drizzled over the top. Just a fantastic tasting beer. But I still want more cinnamon--always more cinnamon.

Mouthfeel (4.5) - Full-bodied and moderate-to-low carbonation, but with enough for the CO2 to provide a nice counterpoint to the more viscous nature of the beer. A little less body than the non-barrel aged version, but that is to be expected. Lingering sweetness on the finish, but subtle.

Overall (4.5), a fantastic beer. It's hard to compare directly to it's base because the barrel aging makes them so fundamentally different, but if I were forced to choose one or the other for the rest of my life, I would probably lean towards regular Abraxas. Still, this is a classic case of splitting hairs--both are excellent beers that have very little room for criticism. (2,541 characters)

Talk about cinnamon. This ones like candy and cinnamon all in one. I'd drink it again, but the cinnamon spice was a bit too overwhelming for my personal taste. Regardless an awesome stout. Definitely a good option for a bottle sharing. (235 characters)

Had b2 at almost exactly a year old, wish the peppers had still been there but it was a very good beer. Cinnamon, vanilla, and chocolate still very present, barrel was a bit strong for my liking. (195 characters)

The nose on this beer is just awesome! Tasting this side by side with the regular abraxas. The barrel adds a flavor profile that in my opinion detracts from the already great base version. The vanilla from the barrel masks the chili heat and mutes the cinnamon. Really good beer but not worth what you would have to give up in trade for a bottle of it. (411 characters)

batch 1....can't taste the rare...a nice stout that pushes the cinnamon too far for my tastes and while I really liked the base, something here just didn't do it for me. The lingering heat from either the peppers, the cinnamon, or both, was too pervasive and distracting for me. (278 characters)

A perfect way to describe this is a cinnamon infused, super fresh dark fudge brownie. Awesome deep fudge notes along with a nice cinnamon hint. Not a cinnamon bomb like others in this style have been. Barrel comes through exactly like it should with subtle whisky notes. Everything compliments each other well. (310 characters)

Pours a pretty dark black, with a half inch mocha-colored head, and a little bit of lacing.

Smells tremendously rich and decadent- a huge amount of fudge and aromatic cocoa powder, some rye whiskey, and vanilla. I can't wait to get into this.

This also tastes like a dream. The barreling seems to have amplified the chocolate aspect of this beer, and downplayed the peppers. The peppers are still there, but less so than regular Abraxas. I get also cinnamon, vanilla, oak, spicy rye whiskey, and vegetal pepper with no real actual heat. This is one decadent mofo of a stout.

This is thick bodied, with a creamy, rich mouthfeel, and a lower level of carbonation. Despite the ABV and richness, it's very drinkable.

This is up there with the best stouts I've ever had. It's so well-done. (837 characters)

Pours a viscous black color, with a small, fluffy, dark brown head, leaving back a perfect, thin lacing at the side of the glass.

Smells of sweetened cinnamon on top of earthy malts, bakers chocolate and a gentle amount of coffee. The Bourbon qualities aren't too present on their own, but blend very well into the chili spices, adding heat and wood to the nose. Notes of molasses provide a sweetness to the brew, which gets supported by the omnipresent cinnamon spiciness outstandingly well.

Begins with rich cinnamon flavors straight from the beginning, while earthy, toasted malts, as well as slightly bitter coffee build the foundation of this beer. The cinnamon gets a bit sticky and dusty, while it turns pretty intense on the palate, with molasses and toffee adding a lot of sweetness to its dominant spiciness. The Bourbon barrel, mirroring the nose, doesn't turn very present on its own, while it interacts perfectly well with the chilies, leaving the spicy cinnamon with an interesting, hot and complex touch on the palate. The sweetness gets balanced by a wooden Bourbon bite, which got a semi dry, bitter aspect to it, highlighting the earthy malts.

Finishes with a sublte, spicy burn, while coffee becomes more present, still with a slick sweetness detectable, which is now calmed by the wooden maltiness, while the Bourbon shines through in its wooden, vanilla qualities, with a peppery bite. Has an incredible smooth mouthfeel, with a hot burn in the end. The beers body is incredible full and quite different to the normal version, while providing less coffee, way more cinnamon and the proper sweetness. (1,692 characters)

pours black with thin brown head. Smells of heavy cinnamon and roast. Smooth taste with chocolate and more cinnamon, minimal heat. Mouth feel is on the thinner side.Really good beer but not on the same level has Double Hunahpu and not worth what it took to trade for it. I think I might actually prefer the regular version better. (335 characters)

Smells of cinnamon and chocolate fudge, with the barrel taking the back seat. Taste follows the smell, still not much from the barrel which is quite a letdown. Mouthfeel is creamy and full-bodied.

Overall, this is a great stout, but the lack of barrel presence in this beer makes it taste more like a year old regular abraxas (which I've had). Not worth the price of admission. Had Proprietors right after, and it was a much better example of a BA stout!

On tap at City Beer Store during the event with Perennial. Beer pours pitch black with thick and creamy dark brown head. Head dissipates to slick of brown after a few minutes, leaving heavy lacing and alcohol legs.

Taste follows the nose exactly, very well balanced flavors of sweeter fudge and bitter dark chocolate, fruity espresso, graham cracker spices with the extra hit of cinnamon. Whiskey barrel contributions mid palate as the beer warms with vanilla, toasted oak and vanilla, caramel. Finish is long and lingering chocolate, spices and the chili hits in the back of the throat, light vegetable and spicy chili.

Fully body, thick and creamy beer. Very slow sipper as the flavors are big and bold but balanced, without any alcohol heat. Very nice beer. (944 characters)

Bottle from trade, 2014 batch with black wax. Pours incredibly black, inky, viscous, and ends up with a finger and a half of dark brown head, creamy looking, too. Incredible aroma of sweet chocolate and cinnamon, spicy rye whiskey, very very faint peppers, vanilla, roasted marshmallows. It's like cinnamon s'mores with whiskey, though the whiskey supports rather than overpowers the smell. Flavor follows with awesome cocoa powder and cinnamon, vanilla whiskey notes, ever so slight spice and warmth that lingers from a combination of the peppers and the alcohol. Thick and viscous, though not syrupy, low carbonation but enough bubbles to keep things thick, and very rich with a slightly roasty dry finish. I was expecting more whiskey on this one, but it melds into the beer so well. Seems very much worth the hype here. Incredible beer, though still takes a back seat to DB Huna for me. (890 characters)

Bottle generously shared by Seth. Dark brown/black pour with a chocolate head. Great lacing. Cinnamon, caramel and fudge blast the old sniffer. Great body with big fudge, rich caramel, and cinnamon notes that give way to the heat from the ancho chilies. Wow, a real stunner. Good carbonation, good balance, great mouthfeel. It’s simply delicious,what more can I say... (377 characters)

Picked out by my lovely wife to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary, & that’s about all you need to know about what a fine bride I have. Fifteen years. Damn. 750ML bottle I won in the lottery this year…which I entered once. On a whim. After a drunken tasting. Lucky me!

Pour is black, carbonation active for a beer of its weight. The nose is delicious but hard to tease apart – other than the chocolate, which has fudgy hands all over the aroma. Underneath is gorgeous vanilla, warm chilies, more sweetness from the malts. The balance is exquisite.

Abraxas – Barrel Aged is simply a world-class beer even with one of my favorite ingredients, dry-hopped hype. But hell, the base beer is nearly perfect; how much better could a barrel make it? What’s astounding is that you can swish this beer around in your mouth & identify each lovely taste: strong natural vanilla, artisan chocolate that washes through & around every component of the beer, light cinnamon. Chilies hit the sweet spot in the bat, neither under- nor over-done, providing light without heat, so to speak. Whiskey barrel? Barely visible on the aftertaste, slight enough that it could be missed amidst the harmony of flavors. This is a beer that, if I could get enough of it, I’d drink constantly. This should come with an IV kit.

An elite-level beer: but if you’re not a ticker, steer clear. The barrel really adds minimally to what was already an incredible stout. Get thee some regular old Abraxas, son, & know that you’re not missing much by not having this whale. Except a similarly great brew. (1,589 characters)

I can't describe it better than everyone else did in their reviews, but I will say that I heard the sweet sound of angels singing upon my first sip and I sure didn't want my glass to ever empty. That's how delicious it was. (283 characters)